Libro d'Oro di Melita

Libro d'Oro di Melita"

"Counts di Beberrua"

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Case Study of the title of Beberrua.

Last Update: 15-11-2011.

* Notary Tomaso Gatt,(Press Here to See Ancestry), married 1717 Valletta to Rosa Maria Camilleri, with issue.

1. Uditor Francesco Saverio Gatto, married 1751 Rabat Gozo to Maria Angelica Aquilina, with issue.
1.1. Dr Luigi Maria Gatto, LL.D (1762-1825), 1st Count of Beberrua (Cr:1783) -See Below.
1.2. Fra. M'Angelo Gatto, dunm.
1.3. Vernanda Gatto, married Marquis Girolamo Delicata, (See Ghajn Qajjed).
2. Giovanna Gatto, married 1754 Valletta to Felice Ferranti, with issue.

2.1. Francesco Ferranti, married to Maria Teresa Azzopardi, with issue.

2.1.1. Grazia Ferranti, married 1826 Valletta to Richard Cleave.

2.1.2. Pietro Ferranti, married 1810 Valletta to Elizabetta Cavarra.

2.1.3. Vincenzo Ferranti, married 1821 Valletta to Narciza Sammut.

2.1.4. Gaetano Ferranti, married 1824 Valletta to Madalena Magri, with issue.

2.1.4.1. Elena Ferranti, married 1865 Valletta to Lorenzo Mifsud.

2.1.5. Salvatore Ferranti, married 1829 Valletta to Giovanna Caterina Berry.
3. Dr. Federico Gatto, married Chiara Mannarino, with issue.
3.1. Rosa Gatto, married Dr Giovanni Debono JUD, with issue.
3.1.1. Federico Debono, married 1816 to Angelica Burlo, with issue.
3.1.1.1. Giuseppe Debono.
3.1.1.2. Edward Debono.
3.1.1.3. Rosa Debono, married 1834 Valletta to Vincenzo Formosa.
3.1.1.4. Giovanna Debono, married Giuseppe Cuschieri.
3.1.1.5. Fortunata Debono, married Emmanuele NN.
3.1.1.6. Giuditta Debono.

3.1.2. Giuseppina Debono., married 1817 Valletta to Salvatore Bardon.

3.2. Innocenza Gatto, married 1802 to Carmelo Camilleri, with issue.
3.2.1. Giovanna Camilleri, married (1) 1821 to Saverio Coen., Married (2) Saverio Borg.
3.2.2. Rosa Camilleri, married 1837 Valletta to Dr. Salvatore de Salvo JUD..
3.2.3. Adelaide Camilleri, married 1844 to Alessandro Preziosi.
3.2.4. Amabile Camilleri.

3.2.5. Praxede Camilleri., married Dr Ignazio Pace Forno JUD.

3.3. Maria Giuseppa Gatto, married 1790 to Emanuele Borg Olivier, with issue.
4. Dr. Tomaso Gatto JUD., married 1772 to Teresa Dandalona., with issue.
4.1. Canon. Carlo Gatto., dunm.
4.2. Dr. Gregorio Gatto JUD., married Agata Bonavita.
4.3. Giuseppe Gatto.
4.4. Maddalena Gatto.
4.5. Graziulla Gatto., married 1805 Birkirkara to Notary Niccolo Decelis., with issue.
4.5.1. Carlo Decelis., married Maria Debono., with issue.
4.5.1.1. Gio Batta Decelis., married 1856 to Filomena Agius.

4.5.1.2. (Natural) Francesca Decelis., married 1827 to Emmanuele Muscat d'Angely, (Natural son of the Baroness of Benwarred).

* Dr Luigi Maria Gatto, LL.D (1762-1825), 1st Count of Beberrua (Cr:1783),
Married (1) 1784 to Marianna Dingli.
Married (2) 1795 to Francesca Saveria Xerri, Daughter of Giovanni Xerri.
Footnote: The title of Conte di Beberrua was granted on the 23rd October 1783 by Grand Master Rohan to Luigi (Ludovico) Gatt, in the following terms: - Tibi tribuimus, concedimus, et fidelitate nostra donamus, ac te Comitis hujusmodi titulo decoramus et insignimus nec non ita nominari posse et debere. The terms of the grant are similar to those of the patents of the Barone diBuleben and the Marchese di San Giorgio in the sense that none of these original grants contain any provision for succession after the grantee. Such grants were by the Grand Master himself taken to be personal, and as such, they could only be extended on an application of the grantees themselves. According the 1878 Commissioners Report, no such application was ever filed.

In view of this, it follows that Luigi (or Ludovico) should be listed as the first and last count of Beberrua. In fact, according to the 1878 report, it appears that Ludovico's son (Nicolo) unsuccessfully claimed this title because the Commissioners held that concluded that the title became extinct upon the death of the original grantee Luigi, sive Ludovico, Gatt. See: Correspondence and Report of the Commission appointed to enquire into the claims and grievances of the Maltese Nobility, May 1878, presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty (C.-2033.) (

Nicolo was born much later after the 1783 grant. In fact, Nicola was born of the grantee's second marriage, the grantee having remarried in 1795. Apart from the reasons explained in the Commissioner’s report (see http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/beberrua.html ) , it is therefore unlikely that in 1783 the Grand Master ever contemplated the possibility that Ludovico was going to have any issue at all.

The claimant Dr. Nicolo Gatt pursued his claim to the title which was granted to his father, and in 1883, a Committee of five Titolati (namely Ciantar, Apap Bologna, De Piro, Manduca and Delicata) recommended to the British Secretary of State for the Colonies that Our opinion is that the title at the death of the grantee vested in Conte Nicolo Gatt LL.D., the only surviving son of the person first ennobled, and that it should continue to descend, de primogenito in primogenitum in infinitum, to the male descendants of the grantee. Under these circumstances we consider this title fully deserving the grace and favour of recognition from the Crown, that the bearer may have his name duly entered in the official list of Titolati. This recommendation was accepted by the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Thus the adjusted succession as per the 1883 decision of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, allows Nicolo (or Nicola) Gatt to succeed Ludovico Gatt as the 2nd Count of Beberrua.,

In terms of the Committee's recommendation and decision of the Secretary of State, the title albeit extended to Nicolo, could only be succeeded by the male descendants de primogenito in primogenitum.

Nicolo, in turn, did not have any descendants; nor did he have any brothers. However, he had a sister married to a Dr. G.S. Caruana and their son Antonio Caruana Gatto claimed the courtesy title of Conte di Beberrua.

A question therefore arose whether the son of a female descendant could be called to the succession of this title, that is to say artificial agnation. As a rule, succession is considered in the light of the terms of the grant, original or amended. However, in this particular case, the grant excluded succession and the title was only extended by a decision of a mere Secretary of State and the aforesaid question was considered in the light of such decision only.
According to the general rule (when considering a grant), it is a settled point of jurisprudence that the appellation of male descendants includes not only the sons issuing from the male line (masculi ex masculis), but also those issuing from the female line (masculi ex foeminis), when, however, some other expression occurs in the deed of grant which controls the meaning of that term, as for instance when the grantor limits his grant to such among his male descendants as should belong to the male line (descendentes masculi ex linea masculina), or when he employs other words which clearly show that he contemplated the grantee’s agnatio, in such case, the effect of the disposition is limited to the male line, and on the failure of males issuing from that line the grant becomes extinct, the male issue of daughters not being called into succession. See http://www.maltagenealogy.com/SME/grua1.html . It is clear that the 1883 decision did not make any such limitation. The fact that the Secretary of State was not a fons honorum appears to have been overlooked in determining this question.

An uproar arose in December 1886, when Antonio Caruana Gatto (not Caruana Gatt but Caruana Gatto) formally enquired about the seating arrangements on the occasion of a dinner in honour of HSH the Duke of Edinburgh. Caruana Gatto was incensed by the fact that he, the nearest and dearest to Nicolo, was informed that he was not entitled to be seated amongst the heirs apparent. The organizers persisted in their decision and the seatless Antonio filed a petition on the 26 January 1887 to the Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility saying that the organizers had committed a great error for having done what they did. - The committee convened a sitting on the 27 January 1887 and declared and decided that Caruana Gatto was entitled to the designation of Contino di Beberrua. In reaching its decision, the Committee of five Titolati (namely Ciantar, Apap, De Piro, Delicata and Testaferrata Olivier) invoked the terms of Government Notice No. 63 of the 27 August 1881, published in Government Gazette No. 2918. (See http://www.saidvassallo.com/SME/deimarchesino.htm) and tactfully cited in its decision the entire text of that notice with the exception of the last proviso. The correspondence relative to this incident is found in Copies or Extracts of Further Correspondence with reference to the Maltese Nobility (In continuation of [C-4628a] May 1886 presented to both houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty August 1888 [C5490], pages 3-8. That report also notes that all three of the documents said to have been filed together with Caruana Gattos petition were in fact never received by the Committee.

It appears that following this incident, the title of Conte di Beberrua was thereafter considered as transmissible through artificial agnation and ulterior enumeration follows what it may be today.

1. (Second Marriage) Dr Nicola Gatto, LL.D, 2nd Count of Beberrua (by 1883 decision of the Secretary of State for the Colonies) -See Below.

2. Giuseppe Gatto., dunm.
3. Angelica Gatto, married 1830 to Dr G.S. Caruana, LL.D, with issue
3.1. Dr Antonio Caruana Gatto, LL.D, 3rd Count-See Below.

3.2. Francesca Caruana Gatto, (1835-), married Saverio Giappone.

3.3. Caterina Caruana Gatto, (1838-), married Carmelo Cilia.

3.4. Nicola Maria Caruana Gatto, (1841-1923 Darwin Australia), Migrated after his marriage in 1880, married to Donna Carmela dei Marchesi Testaferrata, with issue.

3.4.1. Godfrey Caruana, (1882 Darwin - 1965 Darwin), De Jure 7th Count of Beberrua, married 1917 Darwin to (Met while in Malta) Nobile Esther Vassallo dei Baroni di Bauvso, with issue.

3.4.1.1. Rev. Michel'Angelo Caruana, (1923- 1968 Malaysia), dunm.

3.4.1.2. Catherine Caruana, (1926-1978). "Nun".

3.4.1.3. Virginia Caruana, (1929-64), married 1946 Darwin to Jacob Elisemann, with issue.

3.4.1.4. Charles Caruana, (1932-44), killed in the bombing of Darwin, dunm.

3.4.1.5. Thomas Caruana Gatto, (1935-. (Placed an extra Surname of Gatto to himself and descendants on 2000), Rightful heir to the title of Counts of Beberrua as 8th Count, married 1954 Darwin to Elisa Cassimatis, with issue.

3.4.1.5.1. Geoffrey Caruana Gatto, (1955-., (Contino di Beberrua), married 1974 Darwin, NT to Jane Wirth, with issue.

3.4.1.5.1.1. Tom Caruana Gatto, (1976-, married 2000 Katherine NT, Australia to Stacey Longsworth, with issue.

3.4.1.5.1.1.1. Jack Caruana Gatto, (1998-

3.4.1.5.1.1.2. Richelle Caruana Gatto, (2000-.

3.4.1.5.1.1.3. Nathan Caruana Gatto, (2004-.

3.4.1.5.1.1.4. Dean Caruana Gatto, (2008-.

3.4.1.5.1.2. George Caruana Gatto, (1979-.

3.4.1.5.1.3. Mary Anne Caruana Gatto, (1983-.

3.4.1.5.2. Georgiana Caruana, (1958-., married 1985 Darwin NT to Wally Selwood, with issue.

3.4.2. Bianca Caruana, (1884- 1903 Darwin), married 1902 Darwin to Henry Leonard Smith, with issue.

3.4.3. Victor Caruana, (1886-1944), dunm. "left illegitimate issue in Darwin as Carwana".

3.4.3.1. (Illegitimate from an Aboriginal lady called Sissy) Harold Carwana, (1919 Darwin NT - 1953 Katherine NT), had many children from various women unrecorded..

3.4.3.2. (Illegitimate from an Aboriginal lady called Sissy) Eddy Carwana, (1920 Darwin NT - 1982 Darwin NT), had many children from various women..

3.4.3.3. (illegitimate from an Aboriginal lady called Sissy) Eve Carwana, (1922 Darwin NT - ), married various Aboriginal men.

3.4.3.4. (illegitimate from an Aboriginal lady called Sissy) Charlie Carwana, (1924 Darwin NT - 1943), Served for Australia in WWII, also had a child.

3.4.3.4.1. (illegtimate from an Aboriginal lady called Jane) Catherine Carwana, (1944 Katherine NT -) Adopted out, unknown..

3.4.4. Peter Caruana, (1887-1944), dunm. "left illegitimate issue as Carwana" - Noted that the various children were adopted so all unknown.

4. Eugenia Gatto, married 1819 to Giuseppe Bonici-Mompalao, with issue.

5. Caterina Gatto., dunm.

* Dr Nicolo Gatto LL.D (1800-91), 2nd Count of Beberrua, (by 1883 decision of the Secretary of State for the Colonies) dunm.

* Dr Antonio Caruana Gatto, M.D. (1839-1919), 3rd Count of Beberrua, (first acknowledged by Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility as Contino di Beberrua, January 1887)
Married 1867 to Vincenza Formosa Montalto de Fremaux dei Conti di Santa Sofia, with issue

1. Dr Alfredo Caruana Gatto, LL.D, 4th Count-See Below.
2. Rev. Mgr. Roberto Caruana Gatto, 6th Count-See Below.
3. Dr Federico Caruana Gatto, LL.D, 5th Count-See Below.
4. Maria Caruana Gatto, 7th Countess-See Below.
5. Giuseppina Caruana Gatto (1884-1939), Married 1922 to Paolo Nicolo Apap Bologna, 5th Marquis di Gnien-is-Sultan (See that Title). with issue.
5.1. Maria Teresa Apap Bologna Caruana Gatto (1923-, Acknowledged by the COP as the 8th Countess of Beberrua, Married 1956 to Joseph Deguara, with issue
5.1.1. Paul Deguara Caruana Gatto (1959-
5.1.2. Henry Deguara Caruana Gatto (1960-
5.1.3. Corinne Deguara Caruana Gatto (1957-, married 1984 to Francis Cachia Caruana, (See Ghariexem e Tabia for descent), with issue.
5.1.3.1. Malcolm Cachia Caruana, (1985-
5.1.3.2. Francesco Cachia Caruana, (1987-

* Dr Alfredo Caruana Gatto, LL.D ( 1869-1926), 4th Count of Beberrua,
Married 1902 to Assiminia Roncali (Daughter of Dr. Zaccaria Roncali, LL.D, Puisne Judge of Malta) and Dsp.

* Dr Federico Caruana Gatto, LL.D, (1873-1934), 5th Count of Beberrua, and dunm.

* Rev. Mgr. Roberto Caruana Gatto, (1871-1941), 6th Count of Beberrua, dunm

* Maria Caruana Gatto, (1879-1952), 7th Countess of Beberrua, Married to Nicodemo Gandolfo, and dsp.

Footnote: This lady is recorded as having succeeded the title as “7th Countess”. In doing so, it must be assumed that yet another adjustment must have been effected to the remainder of the 1783 grant, because tenure by a female is contemplated by neither the 1783 grant, nor the 1883 decision of the Secretary of State, nor by the Committee decision of 1887. To date, published sources are not helpful in this regard.

Titled, De Jures and Heirs.

See further with " Case Study of the title of Beberrua."

* According to the letters patent: Extinct, unless there are descendants of Emmanuele Caruana Gatto in the male line.
Though if the title was limited to male descendants, then I would suggest the title should be in the hands of Paul Deguara Caruana Gatto. His brother Henry as his heir.
* Heir: male descendants of Emmanuele Caruana Gatto.